2009 Gatorade Duels

The 2009 Gatorade Duels are a pair of convert|150|mi|km qualifying races for the 2009 Daytona 500, and will be held on February 12, 2009 at the convert|2.5|mi|km Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida.

The races set the field for the 51st running of "The Great American Race", and are the only races in the NASCAR Sprint Cup that qualifies drivers and their teams for a points-paying race. The top 35 drivers from the previous season asutomatically make the "The Great American Race" regardless of position. Race One sets the field for spaces on the inside of the pole sitter, which is locked in via the traditional two-lap process on February 8th, while Race Two sets the field on the outside behind other front row driver. In the races, the top two drivers not in the Top 35 from the previous season automatically qualify. The remaining cars are locked in via qualifying speeds, point owners exemptions and (if needed) a past champion provisional.